My teacher Prof Dr Syed Manzoorul Islam
Mohammad Rukanuddin :
One of the few exceptional professors who have left a lasting influence on their students is Professor Dr. Syed Manzoorul Islam. I would like to wish Professor Islam a very happy birthday on his birthday today, January 18, with the utmost respect and sincere pleasure.
I would like to look back on a few exchanges I had with Professor Islam on this important occasion. In 1985, I first encountered him when I discovered him working as a teacher in the English Department at Dhaka University’s English language program. I had a fantastic impression of him on the day I first met him. I still feel lucky to be a student there as I recall that day. Now that I am aware of the distinctions between a language instructor and a literature teacher, I am in awe of how effectively he taught English while being a literature teacher. He forced us to speak, listen, read, and write while concurrently integrating the four language abilities. He was instructing us as though he were interacting with us outside of a classroom, in the real world. He never showed favoritism or was preoccupied with the students who performed better; instead, he paid attention to every student in the class. He provided the learners with scaffolding when they were found to be struggling by using his standard motivating expressions like “you are doing well,” “yeah, you are right,” “move ahead,” etc. He responded positively to each and every one of the students’ responses, which encouraged them to participate. In doing so, he merely sparked the students’ enthusiasm for learning.
Throughout my life, I had a variety of instructors, but Professor Islam had the biggest influence on me because he inspired and guided me to move beyond the confines of the classroom. When I was working at a cadet college shortly after graduating from Jahangirnagar University, I once happened to run across Professor Islam in Dhaka while on vacation. After the customary greetings, I informed him that I was a teacher at a cadet college. I also mentioned the job’s stringent discipline requirements. He suggested that I stick with the position until I find a better one. He added that developing discipline was necessary for success in life. He even instructed me to let him know if I ever required a reference or recommendation letter.
I wrote him a letter from Barisal Cadet College after a few months asking for a recommendation letter so that I could apply for a teaching position in the Middle East. I was excitedly awaiting a response when, after a few weeks, I unexpectedly received a registered letter from Professor Islam. It contained a wonderful letter of recommendation as well as a handwritten apology in Bangla for not being able to respond to my request sooner. I found his letter to be both touching and motivating because of the way he wrote it and the words and phrases he used. As I was reading the letter, I pondered whether any other teachers would treat a student in the same way that Professor Islam did.
I have been a fan of Professor Islam ever since I first met him in the classroom. Where he gives literary lectures, participates in TV chat shows, speaks at seminars, and writes are all things I keep track of in my head. I pay close attention when I read his books and newspaper stories, as well as listen to his lectures and conferences when I can.
In addition to being a professor, Professor Islam is also a novelist, short story writer, translator, columnist, and critic. He continues to write despite having several short tales, fictions, essays, research papers, etc. published. Fazlur Rahman Gold Medal, Pope Memorial Gold Medal, Bangla Academy Award for Literature (1996), Prothom Alo Book of the Year Award (2005), Kagaj Sahitya Puraskar (2006) and the Ekushey Padak for literature (2018) are only a few of the honors bestowed upon him in acknowledgment of his works.
Professor Islam does not confine himself to his teaching career, literary interests, or intellectual activities by living in an ivory tower. He is aware of and concerned about today’s sociopolitical challenges. He publishes and lectures on topics such as how to respect our mother tongue, Bangla, how to advance English teaching and learning in the nation, and social and political issues. Even the issues with the nation’s pre-primary, primary, secondary educational institutions and universities bother him.
A few years ago, Professor Islam left the English Department at the University of Dhaka, but he will never leave our hearts as students. I would like to address him with great appreciation and deep respect, saying, “Sir, you are an inspiration to us, your intellectual offspring. Happy birthday, my revered mentor! I pray to the Almighty for a long life with good health and heaven bliss.”
(The writer teaches English at Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology).
